Hair curling device



March 23, 1954 A 1 BEDWELL 2,672,876

HAIR CURLING DEVICE Filed June 9, 1952 Z7 J/ 1a y FJ g.. Z, 44 zz Z5 z2.I I A" 24 Zz u @vg/ahw., aw' ../MFHE Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates toa hair curling device and more particularly toa hair curlingvdevice of the type having a hair engaging member such asa comb which is retractible into a body member after the curl is formedto disengage the comb from the curl.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a haircurling device wherein the hair engaging member is normally interlockedwith the curling member but may readily be disengaged therefrom andreplaced for cleaning or sterilizing, or for substitution of a newdevice of the same type.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hair curlingdevice having a minimum of parts and which is simply and economicallymanufactured.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel hairengaging member for use in curling wet hair.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide anovel body member for removably and rcplaceably receiving hair` engagingmembers.

It iis a further important object of the present invention to provide anovel hair engaging member for selective interlocking with a bodymember.

Other and further important objects, features and advantages of thepresent invention will be readily apparent from the following detaildescription of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings. Y

. On the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an assembled hair curling deviceaccording to the present invention with the hair-engaging member inprojected position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of Figure 1 andindicating in outline the manner of interlocking the hair-engagingmember with the remainder of the device; u"

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 3 butillustrating the hair-engaging member in a retracted position;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along thelines V--V of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 3 butshowing a second type of hairengaging member according to the presentinvention.

As shown on the drawings:

The hair curling device of the present invention includes an elongatedbody member I9 having a rectangular base portion and an elongatedcurling portion |2. A rat-tail insert or curling tool I3 has acylindrical end I4 inserted in a socket I5 in the rear edge face of thebase portion I I and has a tapered free end portion I6 which is usefulfor dividing a hair section for curling and also to aid in applying thefinishing touches to the curl. The insert I3 further serves as aconvenient handle extension for the curling portion or member I2. Asindicated in Figure 5 the curling member I2 has a curved top surface i8and tapering lower walls I9 and 20 defining therebetween a longitudinalchannel 2| extending from the lower edge of said curling member i2 to asubstantial depth in said curling member.

Slidably mounted in the channel 2| is a hair engaging member such ascombing member 23 having a plurality of teeth 2li projecting from a baseor body portion 25. As seen in Figure 5, the base portion 25 may besubstantially rectangular and nt snugly in the channel 2| between thewalls I9 and 29. For interlocking the comb 23 with the curling memberI2, the comb is provided with an extension 2l. The extension includes anoffset portion 28 and a rearwardly extending portion 29. At the junctureof the offset portion 28 and the rearwardly extending portion 29, alocking arm 3| extends obliquely rearwardly for interlocking engagementwith a recess 32 in the body member I0. The recess is defined by theside walls I9 and 29 of the curling member, a cam surface 35, the topwall portion I8, and a bridging wall 38 extending between the side wallsI9 and 2|) at the lower edges thereof. The rearwardly extending portion29 is provided with roughened edges 49 and 4| for engagement by thethumb of the operator to move the comb insert 23 forwardly from theposition shown in Figure 4 into the position shown by Figure 3. Duringforward movement, the forward surface of the locking arm 3| engages therear cam surface 35, and a projection or forward end portion 42 at theforward end of the comb base rides on a forward cam surface 44, theprojection 42 moving into the hole 45 in the end wall 4G of the bodymember I0 at the end of the forward movement.

In projected position, the projection 42 lies in the hole 45, and arearwardly extending foot or terminal portion l1 at the end of thelocking arm 3| lies on the ledge 48 provided by the rear cam Vblock 49.In this position, it will be observed 3 that the bridging member 38overlies the foot li'l to retain the comb member interlocked with thecurling member I2.

The base portion II is provided with a hole llt for receiving the footel in retracted position of the comb as shown in Figure e.

When the comb member 23 is in housed position as shown in Figure 4, itmay be locked in this position by longitudinal movement rearwardly tofurther engage the foot LI'I in the recess 50 in the base portion I I.It will also be observed that the bridging portion 38 will iit into anotch 5B between the rearwardly extending portion 29 of the extension 27and the locking arm 3i to further hold the hair-engaging insert inhoused position.

As indicated in dash outline in Figure 3, to assemble the comb with theholder I2 the locking arm is inserted into the recess with the forwardend of the comb tilted at an angle to the holder as indicated at 23a.When the foot IH is placed underneath the bridging 38, the insert 23will not become disengaged from the holder except by lifting the forwardportion of the insert out of the channel before the insert is moved toits projected position shown in Figure 3 in solid outline. It will thusbe apparent that the comb insert is readily and simply inserted andremoved from assembly with the holder I2, yet will not become disengagedfrom the holder during normal operation of the device because of thehole t norma-ily receiving the projection 42 at the forward end of thecomb.

It has been found that a comb insert is impractical for wet hair, andaccordingly an insert 55 is disclosed in Figure 6 which is made withbunches of bristles as indicated at 56 which are preferably of saw-toothdesign. This brush-type insert insures a satisfactory grip on wet hairwhich will not slip when starting the curl. The remaining parts of thebrush member 55 are similar to thosey shown and described in thepreceding figures and have been given corresponding primed referencenumerals.

To form a roll-curl with the present invention the procedure is asfollows:

A tress of hair is collected and combed out from the head to the tips ofthe hair, until the several hairs are properly separated. The ends ofthe hair are then held against the curling portion i 2 of the device,with the comb teeth 2d or the bristles 56 of the brush 55 projected, andbeginning at the ends of the hairs of the tress, the tress is rolled onthe curling portion I2 of the device until the device is rolledflat-wise against the head. During this movement, the teeth beingprojected prevent accidental displacement of the curl. When the tresshas been rolled as far as possible, or as far as desirable, the teethare then housed to free them from the curl, whereupon the device may bewithdrawn endwise from the curl, without disturbing any part of it. Thecurl is then pressed against the head and pinned in place until the hairdries.

Pin curls may be made with the device of the present invention byrolling a tress of hair, as explained. When the tress has beensufficiently rolled, the device is applied with its left hand end, asviewed in the drawing, endwise against the head. The curl is then pushedoff the device against the head, and there held and pinned. In order topush the curl off the device, the teeth or bristles have to be retractedor housed.

In the formation of curls with the device of the present invention, thehair is wound about the body portion of the device as tightly as theoperator thinks best, and then, with the comb teeth or bristlesretracted, the device may be withdrawn from the curl without disturbingany of the hairs of the curl. By forming a curl in the manner stated,the ends of the hairs are inside the curl rather than outside, so thatthe resulting effect is a pleasing one.

The brush insert of the present invention is particularly useful withhome permanent waves (cold waves). The brush insert is used while thehair is wet during the first part of the permanent, since the combinsert is impractical for wet hair. The comb insert will be used to keepthe curls dressed while dry or between shampoos.

There is thus provided according to the present invention a hair curlingdevice formed from a minimum number of parts which is easily operatedand wherein the hair engaging insert is readily removed and replaced ina simple operation.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will, ofcourse, be understood that I do not wish to limit the invention thereto,since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate bythe appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a hair curling device, anelongated curling member having alongitudinal channel extending in said member from one edge thereof to asubstantial depth, a pair of sloping cam surfaces disposed respectivelyadjacent the forward and rear ends of said channel and sloping forfwardly and outwardly in said channel, said curling member having alocking recess adjacent the rear end of said channel, said rear camsurface defining a forward wall of said recess, and an elongated hairengaging member disposed in said channel and having a forward endportion for riding on said forward cam surface and having a locking armin interlocking engagement in said recess and for riding on said rearcam surface whereby upon forward movement of said hair engaging memberin said channel said hair engaging member will be cammed into an exposedactive position by said cam surfaces.

2. In a hair curling device, an elongated curling member having alongitudinal channel extending in said member from one edge thereof to asubstantial depth, a pair of sloping cam surfaces disposed respectivelyadjacent the forward and rear ends of said channel and sloping forwardlyand outwardly in said channel, said curling member having a lockingrecess adjacent the rear end of said channel, said rear cam surfacedeiining a forward wall of said recess, an elongated hair engagingmember disposed in said channel and having a forward end portion forriding on said forward cam surface and having a locking arm ininterlocking engagement in said recess and for riding on said rear camsurface whereby upon forward movement of said hair engaging member insaid channel said hair engaging member will be cammed into an exposedactive position by said cam surfaces, said curling member providing abridging portion across the lower end of said recess, said locking armhaving a rearwardly turned foot, said bridging portion of said curlingmember overlying said foot in normal exposed active position of saidhair engaging member to interlock the rear portion of said hair engagingmember and said curling member, the forward portion of said curlingmember having a hole adjacent the end of said forward cam surface, andsaid hair engaging member having a projection at the forward end thereoffor sliding up said forward cam surface and into said hole when thehair; engaging member is moved into exposed active position.

3. In a hair curling device, an elongated curling member having alongitudinal channel extending in said member from one edge thereof to asubstantial depth, a pair of sloping cam surfaces disposed respectivelyadjacent the forward and rear ends of said channel and sloping forwardlyand outwardly in said channel, said curling member having a lockingrecess adjacent the rear end of said channel, said rear cam surfacedening a forward Wall of said recess, an elongated hair engaging memberdisposed in said channel and having a forward end portion for riding onsaid forward cam surface and having a locking arm in interlockingengagement in said recess and for riding on said rear cam surfacewhereby upon forward movement of said hair engaging member in saidchannel said hair engaging member will be cammed into an exposed activeposition by said cam surfaces, said curling member providing a bridgingportion across the lower end of said recess, said locking arm having arearwardly turned foot, said bridging portion of said curling memberoverlying said foot in normal exposed active position of said hairengaging member to interlock the rear portion of said hair engagingmember and said curling member, the forward portion of said curlingmember having a hole adjacent the end of said forward cam surface, saidhair engaging member having a projection at the forward end thereof forsliding up said forward cam surface and into said hole when the hairengaging member is moved into exposed active position, and a ledgeextending forwardly from the end of the rear cam surface for receivingthe edge of said rearwardly turned foot of said locking arm to supportsaid hair engaging member in exposed active position.

4. In a hair curling device, an elongated curling member having alongitudinal channel extending into said member from one edge to asubstantial depth, a pair of sloping cam surfaces disposed respectivelyadjacent the forward and rear ends of said channel and sloping forwardlyand outwardly in said channel. said curling member having a lockingrecess adjacent the rear end of said channel, and said rear cam surfacedening a forward wall of said recess.

5. In a hair curling device, an elongated curling member having alongitudinal channel extending into said member from one edge to asubstantial depth, a pair of sloping cam surfaces disposed respectivelyadjacent the forward and rear ends of said channel and sloping forwardlyand outwardly in said channel, said curling member having a lockingrecess adjacent the rear end of said channel, said rear cam surfacedeiining a forward wall of said recess, and a longitudinal socket in therear edge face of said curling member for receiving a further curlingtool.

6. A hair engaging member for a hair curling device comprising anelongated body portion having a plurality of hair engaging projectionsextending upwardly from one edge thereof, and an operating extensionextending from one end of said body portion and including an obliquelyrearwardly extending locking arm with a rearwardly extending terminalportion for interlocking the hair engaging member with a hair curlingdevice.

7. A hair engaging member for a hair curling device comprising anelongated body portion having a plurality of hair engaging projectionsextending upwardly from one edge thereof, an operating extensionextending from one end of said body portion, said extension including anoffset portion and a rearwardly extending portion extending from theouter part of said offset portion and providing a thumb operating edge,and a locking arm extending obliquely and rearwardly from the junctureof said last two mentioned portions.

8. A hair engaging member for a hair curling device comprising anelongated body portion having a plurality of hair engaging projectionsextending upwardly from one edge thereof, an operating extensionextending from one end of said body portion and including an obliquelyrearwardly extending locking arm with a rearwardly extending terminalportion for interlocking the hair engaging member with a hair curlingdevice, said hair engaging projections comprising bristles for improvedgripping engagement on wet hair.

9. In a hair curling device, an elongated curling member having alongitudinal channel, and a pair of longitudinal spaced xed cam surfacesin said channel adjacent the opposite ends thereof and connected to saidcurling member for camming a hair engaging member carried in saidchannel from a retracted position in said channel to an active exposedposition for engaging hair to be curled.

ANDREW J. BEDWELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Re. 21,747 Schlicker Mar. 11, 1941 1,602,050 Sootin Oct. 5,1926 2,244,068 Kay June 3, 1941-

